/ 7 March 2018

Deputy Chief Justice Zondo to reveal further details on state capture inquiry

Chief Justice Raymond Zondo was selected to head this commission by Chief Justice Mogoeng Mogoeng in January
Chief Justice Raymond Zondo was selected to head this commission by Chief Justice Mogoeng Mogoeng in January

The chair of the commission of inquiry into state capture, Deputy Chief Justice Raymond Zondo, is due to brief the media on Wednesday on the appointment of key personnel to the commission as well as the progress being made on getting the inquiry off the ground.

Zondo is expected to reveal when the much anticipated state capture inquiry will commence, who the evidence leader will be and which other key officials will make up the commission.

After being appointed, Zondo said allegations of state capture “go to the very foundations of our Constitutional democracy” and the commission would require a staff with a wide range of skills and experience to properly investigate.

Zondo was selected to head this commission by Chief Justice Mogoeng Mogoeng in January after former president Jacob Zuma was ordered by the Pretoria High Court to establish an inquiry into state capture, as recommended by former public protector Thuli Madonsela in her 2016 State of Capture report.

READ MORE: Deputy Chief Justice Raymond Zondo to head commission of inquiry into state capture

Although Zuma is implicated in state capture allegations, he emphasised in his announcement of the inquiry that the accusations were of “paramount importance” and that “the commission must seek to uncover not just the conduct of some, but of all those who may have rendered our state or parts thereof vulnerable to control by forces other than the public for which government is elected.”

“There should be no area of corruption and culprit that should be spared the extent of this commission of inquiry,” said Zuma.

Zuma released the terms of reference for the inquiry on January 25. The terms determine the scope of the inquiry and they mandate the inquiry to investigate Madonsela’s findings on the Gupta family, the former president and other government top officials.

The terms instruct Zondo to investigate claims that the Guptas offered Cabinet positions to Mcebisi Jonas and Vytjie Mentor, that they knew about key ministerial appointments before they were announced and that Zuma and board members of state owned enterprises illegal awarded tenders to benefit the Gupta family among many other allegations.

READ MORE: The full terms of reference for the inquiry into state capture

The findings in the State of Capture report played a major role in revealing the extent of the influence of the controversial Gupta family in key state decisions such as ministerial appointments, questionable dealings with state owned enterprises such as Eskom, Transnet and South African Airways and the involvement of the Gupta’s, Jacob Zuma and members of the Zuma family.

The most recent state capture discussion is surrounding the approval of the naturalisation applications of the Gupta family by Home Affairs Minister Malusi Gigaba.

READ MORE: Gigaba says Gupta naturalisation process above board